Greyhound announced it was ending passenger bus and freight services in Western Canada earlier this month with only 90 days’ notice. The company claims that a significant decline in ridership over the last eight years drove the decision. After October, Greyhound will maintain only one western route from Vancouver to Seattle, limiting the company’s presence to Ontario and Quebec highways. “For Canadians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, Greyhound has been a lifeline to work, school, vital health care, family and friends,” Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said in a statement Friday. “When Greyhound announced its decision, I said we cannot – we will not – leave people stranded by the side of the road.” For the past weeks, provincial leaders in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been scrambling to find alternative transit solutions. Notley and the Minister for Transportation Brian Mason are encouraging the federal government to urge Greyhound to extend the notice by six months or more. Concerns about Greyhound were brought forward at the Council of the Federation meeting where Canada’s premiers gathered last week. Notley said that there was “a very good discussion” on the issue. “Premiers agree this is a national issue that requires a national response. We are calling on the federal government to work with Greyhound to temporarily maintain services in Western Canada so affected communities have time to develop alternative services. That will give us the time we need to work together on a long-term solution.” MLA for Banff-Cochrane, Cam Westhead, echoed similar sentiments Friday. “There are many Banff-Cochrane residents, particularly those living in the Bow Valley region, who rely on the Greyhound bus service to get to medical appointments, visit family and friends, or even to commute to work,” Westhead said in a statement. “One of my main concerns is the way in which this decision disproportionately affects our most vulnerable residents.” Westhead is concerned about the company’s rapid exit and the potential difficulty of securing other transportation options over the next months. There are commitments to rural transportation projects in other communities such as Sexsmith and Clairmont to areas like Grande Prairie. Westhead said that the province is looking at possibly expanding these pilot projects. “Premier Notley and I will keep fighting for communities in Banff-Cochrane and across the province until there are other solutions in place,” said Westhead. “We are making sure the federal government also stands up for rural Albertans, who make huge contributions to our communities and country. We cannot leave them stranded.” MMcEwan@postmedia.com